Solar power in Austria explained

As of the end of 2022, solar power in Austria amounted to nearly 3.8 gigawatt (GW) of cumulative photovoltaic (PV) capacity, with the energy source producing 4.2% of the nation's electricity.^[1] ^[2]

In addition to supporting PV installations through permitting simplification and cash grants, the Austrian government is targeting 100% renewable electricity generation by 2030.^[3] ^[4]

In 2009, the site of Zwentendorf power station became Austria's largest solar power station with an investment of 1.2 million Euro, with the addition of 1,000 photovoltaic panels.^[5] Zwentendorf was intended to be Austria's first nuclear power plant, but after a vote in 1978 prohibiting nuclear power in Austria, was never completed.^[6] In September, 2011, Austria's largest solar power station, 2 MW, was under construction in the Niedere Tauern mountain range.^[7]

Austria has also a large capacity of solar heating at its disposal. With more than 3,500 MW_thermal the country ranks second in the EU, only behind much larger Germany.^[8]

Targets

Austria aims to achieve a 100% renewable electricity production by 2030 with 1,000,000 homes having solar panels fitted by that date. 11 TWh of extra photovoltaics will be needed above 2021 levels.^[9]

Photovoltaic installations

Statistics

Austria 2013 - key figures
Final Electricity Consumption	56 TWh
Inhabitants	8 million
Irradiation	1,027 kWh/kW
PV Installations in 2013	263 MW
PV Cumulative Capacity in 2013	626 MW
PV Penetration	1.1%
Source: IEA-PVPS, Trends2014

External links

Monitored PV installations in Austria

Notes and References

Web site: PV Austria Say Country Exceeded 1 GW PV Capacity For 1st Time, Taking Cumulative To 3.8 GW. Anu Bhambhani. Taiyang News. 2023-06-27. 2023-07-24.
Web site: Distribution of electricity generation in Austria in 2022, by source. Statista. 2023-06-30. 2023-07-24.
Web site: Austria commits to significant renewables boost. Nikolaus J. Kurmayer. Euractiv. 2023-01-11. 2023-07-24.
Web site: Austria steps up funding to accelerate green progress. Kit Gillet. Financial Times. 2022-11-21. 2023-07-24.
http://www.zwentendorf.com/filmkulisse/en/geschichte.asp History
http://archive.psfk.com/2009/07/austrian-nuclear-plant-becomes-solar-power-station.html Austrian Nuclear Plant Becomes Solar Power Station
http://www.interempresas.net/Energy/Articles/55558-Albasolar-provides-2MW-for-the-largest-solar-Park-in-Austria.html Albasolar provides 2MW for the largest solar Park in Austria
http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/baro221_en.pdf EurObserv'ER: Solar thermal and concentrated solar power barometer - May 2014
Web site: Austrian Recovery & Resilience Plan / 1.Sustainable Construction / Climate neutral transformation - Renewable Expansion Act . 26 April 2023.
Web site: iea-pvps.org . IEA PVPS TRENDS 2013 in Photovoltaic Applications . 39 . 29 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093637/http://www.iea-pvps.org/fileadmin/dam/public/report/statistics/FINAL_TRENDS_v1.02.pdf . 2 April 2015 . live.
Web site: iea-pvps.org . IEA PVPS TRENDS 2014 in Photovoltaic Applications . 23 . 12 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141228113645/http://www.iea-pvps.org/fileadmin/dam/public/report/statistics/IEA_PVPS_Trends_2014_in_PV_Applications_-_lr.pdf . 28 December 2014 . live.
Web site: Snapshot of Global PV 1992-2014 . iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=32 . International Energy Agency — Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme . 30 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150407023056/http://www.iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=92&eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=2430 . 7 April 2015 . live.
Web site: NSR Austria 2020 . iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=32 . International Energy Agency — Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme . 30 March 2015 .
Web site: Boom bei Photovoltaik ist ungebrochen . energie.gv.at . . 15 July 2024 .